Local nonprofit St. Vincent de Paul Pharmacy is expanding its services to San Antonio by partnering with Haven for Hope.
Haven for Hope is a homeless recovery nonprofit that uses a “one-stop-shop” model for housing and services, as previously covered by The Dallas Express.
St. Vincent de Paul (SVdP) is a Dallas-based charitable pharmacy that fills prescriptions and provides free medication for those who otherwise could not afford it. Now, the organization is expanding across Texas and providing medication to those who are homeless or in transitional housing recovering from homelessness through Haven for Hope.
“Providing free, life-sustaining medicine to individuals vulnerable to homelessness is not just about healthcare,” said Luis Gonzalez, CEO of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, in a statement, per Dallas Innovates.
“By addressing the most basic and critical health needs, we empower individuals to overcome obstacles, regain stability, and take that pivotal step towards a brighter future,” he continued. “This embodies the true spirit and mission of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, and we are proud to expand our free medication resources through our pharmacy to those susceptible to homelessness.”
Gonzalez said SVdP ships medication to the clinic at Haven for Hope.
“They’ll take responsibility for dispensing the medications to individuals,” he added, according to NewsRadio 1080 KRLD.
Gonzalez said that because those who are homeless are usually unable to pay for healthcare, the costs of their treatment can be passed on to the taxpayer. SVdP steps in to help provide the homeless with needed medication.
“The financial implications of this — when you start thinking of the strain and drain on our public health system, you have individuals who, because they’re not taking their medication, they end up in the ER,” he said. “They get a two-week dose of medication, so they feel good for two weeks, but inevitably they slide back into not feeling well and back in the ER. That just is a recurring cycle.”
Gonzalez added that helping those who are homeless with their chronic medical conditions can help them break the cycle of homelessness and start working toward a stable, healthy lifestyle.
As DX has previously reported, the “one-stop shop” model of Haven for Hope has been credited with a 77% reduction in unsheltered homelessness in downtown San Antonio. Some local stakeholders are now working to bring the model to Dallas as it has polled favorably among city residents. However, it is unclear whether City officials will support this effort.
Meanwhile, further polling has found that over 75% of Dallas residents disapprove of the levels of homelessness, vagrancy, and panhandling found throughout the city.